Hand brake



Aug. 16, 1932. P. B. cAMP I 1,872,063

HAND BRAKE Filed May 7, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 P. B. CAMP HAND BRAKE Filed May 7, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 WT 8 i 2 .Per

Aug. 16, 1932 P. B. CAMP HAND BRAKE Filed May 7, 1929 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 fp; a s ch5 16 I I I I I zudi; '36 J97 gi zz i 4 w 9 51 Pg; I c 6 l I I 1 Li: v n

Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PERCY ."B. CAMP, F HAYWOOD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL DRAFT GEAR AT- TACHMENT 60., A. CORPORATION 01 ILLINOIS mun BRAKE This invention relates to hand brakes for use in connection with the foundation brake gear of a car and has, among its principal objects, to provide a simple hand-operated power mechanism, including a quick take-up means adapted to be mounted on the end of the car; to facilitate the inspection and repair of the operating parts; to improve the means for controllin the release of the in brakes when applied by hand, and to provide a commercial unit that may be readily applied to existing as well as new cars.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the disclo- 15 .sure proceeds and the description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which I Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a portion of a car showing the preferred embodiment an of the invention applied thereto in connection with pafl'of a foundation brake gear shown diagrammatically Fi 2 is a front elevation looking from the right in ig. 1;

as Fig. 3 (Sheet 2) is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 (Sheet 3) is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig.7 (Sheet 1) is a view similar to Fig. 6, showmg the parts in a different position Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a holding pawl forming part of the hand brake;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view ofa brake shoe forming a part of the hand brake;

Fig. 10 is an edge elevation of a combined ratchet and brake drum used in the hand brake;

\ Fig. 11 is a longitudinal section and Fig. 12 is an end view of a detachable part of a lever used to control the release of the brakes.

But this specific illustration and the correspondingly specific description are used for the purpose of disclosure only, for it is realized that the substance of diflerent features of the invention may be embodied in other forms, and may be put to uses in other relations by those skilled in the art, and it is intended that all such shall be covered by the appended claims.

In the lower left hand corner of Sheet 1 there is illustrated diagrammaticall a conventional form of foundation bra e gear, generally indicated by 10 through the agency of which air in the cylinder 11, or the hand brake mechanism to be disclosed herein, applies the brake shoes 12 to the wheels 13. The conventional connection of the hand brake through a hand brake rod 14 to the live cylinder lever 15 is also shown in the same diagram.

The basis of the commercial unit, best illustrated in Fig. 2, is a frame 16, formed by bending a channel bar roughly to the shape of a capital U, and settin it in inverted position. In the interest 0% safety this frame should be secured to the end of the car by rivets 17. In this particular instance it is also fastened adjacent to the upper end by bolts 18 (Fig. 1).

A bracket19 (Fig. 5) extends across the back side of the frame 16, and has flanges 20 and 21 secured to the web of the frame 16 by rivets 22. The flange 21, as best shown in Fig. 4 (Sheet 2) carries a slotted web 23, brace by gussets 24 and 25, the latter having notches 26, Fig. 5, to receive one link of the chain while an adjacent link is in the slot of the web 23, thus forming an eflicient chain anchorage.

A housing 27 is mounted on the frame 16 y by means of studs 28 (Figs. 3 and 6) on a flange 29 of the housing, extending through the web of the frame, and also by bolts 30, extending through flanges 31 on the housing and the outer flange 32 of the frame 16.

A shaft 33 (Fig. 3) is journaled in bearings 34 and 35 in the housing 27 and the bracket 19 respectively. Adjacent to the left end the shaft is equipped with a thrust collar 36 resting against the outer face of the bracket 19. Adjacent to its right end it is provided with a pyramidal section 37 to receive the hub 38 of a hand wheel 39, which is held in place by a nut 40 on the threaded end 41 of the shaft.

Just inwardly, or to the left of the bearing 34, the shaft has a polygonal portion 42 provided with two driving eys 43 received in the hub 44 of a combined ratchet wheel and drum 45, the periphery of which is equipped with teeth 46 and an adjacent brake drum 47. The hub 44 is extended to the left in Fig. 3 to provide a short chain drum 48, and that portion of the shaft between the drum and the collar 36 has a helical vane 49, which guides the chain to be wrapped thereon.

The drum 48 has an inclined slot 50 adapted to receive a link of a chain 51 which is made fast by a key 52 set at an angle to the axis of the drum.

The opposite end of the chain 51 is made fast to the flange 21, as best shown in Fig. 4, and the intermediate portion is looped about a sheave 53 (Fig. 2) in the form of a reversin lever, such as disclosed in the patents to 1%rigley, No. 1,567,401, December 29, 1925 and to Davis, No. 1,554,793 of September 22, 1925, reference to which is made for detailed description of the structure and operation. It will be sufficient hereto say that the bight of the chain runs in the grooved periphery of the sheave 53 and is made fast at one point 54 in any suitable 1118111181.

The pivot 55 of the sheave 53 is mounted in a long jaw 56, connected with a rod 57, which is connected with the brake rod 14 by a length of chain 58 running over a guide pulley 59, mounted in a corner bracket 60.

The housing 27, (Fig. 3) is equipped with a partition 61 spaced inwardly from the outer wall 62, both of which are provided with three sets of aligned bearings, in one of which there is mounted the pivot 63 of a holding pawl 64 (Figs. 6 and 8) having an angular head 65 for coperation with the teeth 46 of the ratchet 45. The pawl is also provided with a heavy curved tail 66 which assists in making the head 65 quickly engage the teeth 46 on appropriate occasions.

In the intermediate set of hearings in the partition 61 and the outer wall 62 there is mounted a shaft 67 (Figs. 3 and 6) which, as

heretofore made, is integral with a hand lever 68, offset at 69 to place the handle 70 clear of the hand wheel 39. Adjacent to the hand lever the shaft 67 is provided with an enlarged bearing 71 and just to the left, or

inwardly as shown in Fig. 3, it has three fiat faces 72 (Fig. 7) to cooperate with similar faces in the bore of a small casting 73 (Figs.

11 and 12) which includes two arms 74 and i In the'remaining set of bearings in the partition 61 and outer wall 62 of the housnig, is a pivot 76 having a brake shoe 77 igs. 6 and 9), adapted to on agethe drum 47 and having the flange 78 a apted to limit clockwise movement in Fig. 6.

The arm 74 is adapted to cooperate with both the pawl 64 and the brake shoe 77 and for that reason they are provided respectively with surfaces 79 and 80 (Fi 5 and 8), lying in the zone of rotation o the arm 74. The arm is adapted to cooperate with the underside of the tail 66 of the holdin pawl 64 to forcibly release it from the rate et 46, and for that reason is appropriately located as will be seen from Figs. 3 and 5.

Operation Under normal conditions the pawl 64 will be engaged with a tooth 46, as illustrated in Fig. 6, but an accumulation of rust and dirtduring long idleness might cause the pawl to stick in a raised position in which case the brakeman, by forcing down the handle 70 of the hand lever 68, may exert a powerful force downwardly on the pawl through the arm 74.

Assuming the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6 and the brakes are to be set, the brakeman standing on a suitable step 81 ig. 1) grasps the lower portion of the hand wheel 39 and rotates it in a clockwise direction in Fig. 2. This gives the shaft 33 a similar movement and winds the live end of the chain 51 first on the drum 48 and then on the shaft 33. The initial result of this moveby causing the longer arm to quickly take up the slack and press the shoes 12 a ainst the wheels 13. This is ordinarily fu y accomplished in less than 180 movement of the sheave when the sheave assumes the position of greatest power which it maintains through a suitable range for the application of braking pressure.

As the ratchet wheel turns with the shaft the pawl 64 engages the teeth successively and when a suitable braking pressure has been obtained, will hold the shaft against unwinding and, therefore, the brakes against releasing.

When it is desired to release the brakes the hand lever 68 is rotated clockwise from the position shown in Fi 6. This may, if desired, be accompanied %y a slight clockwise rotation of thehand wheel in order to release the strain on thepawl, but it is not necessary,and ordinarily is not had, for

the brake'man merely forces the hand lever 68 against the resistance which the tail of the pawl offers to the arm 75, which, as appears more clearly in Figs. 6, 7 and 12, is

given a curved surface 82 whereby it exerts given a further clockwise rotation, bringing the parts to the position shown in Fig. 7, in which the arm 74 strikes the surface 80 on the brake shoe 77 ,forcing the latter to engage the drum 47 and thereby resist the release of the brakes. This operation makes it easy to control the release as may be desired.

I claim as my invention 1. In a hand brake for use with the foundation brake gear of a car, a ratchet, a holding pawl adapted to engage the ratchet to prevent release, a brake drum adjacent to the ratchet, a brake shoe adapted to engage the drum to resist release, and a lever for forcing the pawl into and out of engagement with the ratchet.

2. In a hand brake for use with the foundation brake gear of a car, a substantially U- shaped frame adapted to be made fast to the car, a transverse bracket on the frame having a shaft bearing, a housing mounted on the frame and having a shaft bearing, a shaft in said bearing, a ratchet on the shaft, a holding pawl for the ratchet, and a lever for releasing the pawl.

3. In a brake mechanism for use with the foundation brake gear of a car, a frame adapted to be made fast to one side of a car, a reversing lever, a chain formed into a bight about the reversing lever and having its dead end anchored to the frame and its live end in winding engagement with a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted in the frame, said reversing lever being free to move in a vertical direction and pivotally carrying the connecting means to the foundation brake gear,

means for winding said horizontal shaft toapply the brakes, means including a pawl to hold the shaft against unwinding, releasing means interconnected with the pawl to allow the shaft to unwind, and means for yieldingly resisting the unwinding action.

said pawl and shoe, and means on said lever for alternately engaging said pawl and brake shoe during the release of said mechanism.

6. In a hand brake for use with the foundation brake gear of a car, a ratchet, a holding pawl adapted to engage the ratchet to prevent release, a brake drum adjacent to the ratchet, a brake shoe adapted to engage the drum to resist release, and a lever mounted adjacent the pawl and the shoe for forcing the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet and applying the shoe to the brake drum when rotated in one direction and for releasing the shoe from the drum and forcing the pawl into engagement with the ratchet when rotated in t e opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PERCY B. CAMP.

4. In a railway brake mechanism, a brake I drum, a flexible member attached to said drum and adapted to be wound thereon, brake lever means for manually rotating said drum for operating said mechanism, a pawl and ratchet for preventing release of said drum, a friction shoe for controlling the reverse movement of said drum during the unwinding of said flexible member, and a lever member pivoted adjacent said pawl and shoe for actuating the same, said pawl and shoe being mounted independently of said lever member.

5. In a railway brake mechanism, a casing, a drum rotatably mounted therein, a ratchet associated with said drum, a pawl within said casing for engaging said ratchet, a flexible member attached to said drum, a hand wheel for rotating said drum for winding said member thereon, a brake shoe within said casing for frictionally engaging said drum, a lever pivoted to the casing adjacent 

